Blog

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Welcome back to Impossible’s Analog Travelog! In this series, we showcase fantastic Impossible photos taken on voyages the world over. This entry comes from Derrick Tin who traveled to Christmas Island and brought along some Impossible film…

Born in Canada, grew up in Africa, educated in Europe, worked in the US and now living in Australia, I consider myself a true citizen of this world. Throw into that mix my Chinese heritage and you can perhaps understand my constant desire for travel and exploration.

From trekking the lost ruins of Machu Picchu, to lazying around the beaches of Rio de Janeiro, it never ceases to amaze me just how beautiful our planet is. Christmas Island, a volcanic island covered by tropical rain forrest just south of Indonesia, is a great example of untouched eco paradise waiting to be discovered.

Sir David Attenborough described the Christmas Island crab migration as one of the greatest moments of his career as a wildlife explorer and naturalist and, after coming across another article on this remote island in the Indian Ocean and their famed resident crabs, i decided to pack my cameras and go explore and experience this natural marvel.

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Welcome back to 8 Exposures, our ongoing instant film Q&A series. This entry focuses on UK photographer Andrew Bartram…

1) What kind of Polaroid camera(s) do you use?

Mainly SX-70 Originals, I have two of those but one has recently stopped working; an SLR 680, and 250 and 103 Automatic Land Cameras.

2) Why do you like instant photography?

I can’t draw, paint or play a musical instrument so, along with my passion for the darkroom, instant photography allows me an accessible creative release from the day job.

Although I have been a film user and printer for 25 years I have only been into instant photography for the last year since I bought my first 600 box camera on Ebay, shortly followed by my first SX-70. I love the sheer unpredictable nature of the Impossible films, even the fabulous Color Protection film behaves in different ways depending on light, heat and the variables associated with your camera. So it’s that unpredictability, the uniqueness of each image combined with those wonderful Polaroid Cameras that I love about instant photography.

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Welcome back to our newest addition to the Impossible Blog: Impossible’s Analog Travelog! In this series, we’ll be showcasing fantastic Impossible photos taken on voyages the world over. This entry comes from Claire Oscuro who recently moved to Marseille and has documented the transition with Impossible film…

I moved from Paris to Marseille in January 2013 for a new job opportunity. As I had fallen in love with instant photography a few months before, I thought it could be a great occasion to create a polaroid photo series/collection about my new hometown and discoveries and to share it with others through a website and hopefully some exhibitions!

There was in fact another great opportunity that could help me promote such an idea: as some of you might know, Marseille has been chosen as the European Capital of Culture for 2013, along with Košice (Slovakia). I thought that instant photography would be a great way to focus on the Marseille-Provence area and try to reveal its charms, so the MarseillePolaroid2013 project was born!

The European Capital of Culture is one of the most high-profile cultural events in Europe. The Capitals are selected on the basis of a cultural program that must have a European (and in this case Euro-Mediterranean) dimension, involve the public, be attractive at the European level and fit into the long-term development of the city. It is also a unique opportunity for the cities to change their image (and Marseille needs to!), put themselves on the world map, attract more tourists and rethink their own development through culture.

For Marseille-Provence 2013, the year as European Capital of Culture is split into three ‘episodes’:
Episode 1: “Marseille Provence welcomes the world”, from January to May 2013
Episode 2: “Marseille Provence under open skies”, from May to September 2013
Episode 3: “Marseille Provence – a Thousand Faces” from September to December 2013.

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Welcome back to 8 Exposures, our popular instant film Q&A series! This week, we are happy to present you with the dreamy photography of Carine Wallauer…

1) What kind of Polaroid camera(s) do you use?

I have a Polaroid 1000. When I was a teenager my literature teacher gave it to me. It was a gift from her grandma when she was eight years old, but she never used it. It was still in the box, untouched.

2) Why do you like instant photography?

I love the atmosphere. I love the way things appear just like I saw them in my imagination. I love the colors. I love the square format. I love to have it inside my shirt and close to my heart when I hide it from the light until the magic happens.

3) What is your earliest memory of instant film?

When I was a kid my uncle had a polaroid and used it to take pics of our family lunches. It was so magical to me! I still have one of them. (:

4) What’s your favorite Impossible film type?

I love both Color and Silver Shade.

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Hello again and welcome back to Viewfinder, our ongoing series in which we chronicle interesting projects that incorporate Impossible film. For this entry, we are happy to bring you photo collages by Jim Finlayson…

My work with instant photo collage began while shooting SX-70 cover art for textbooks and novels. With collages constructed from vintage art auction catalogs, magazines and postcards, I could combine different subject matter and environments in one cohesive statement. After building a large portfolio of altered, painterly instant prints, I wanted to take the concept of painting in a more sleek photographic direction.

The great thing about shooting instant film is the absence of digital effects to enhance an image. This in addition to having a limited number of prints per film pack forces a photographer to have a strong sense of immediacy with light, weather and location. For my first shooting project with PX 70 Cool film, I wanted control over light and location and felt collage would be a perfect fit.

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Welcome back to our newest addition to the Impossible Blog: Impossible’s Analog Travelog! In this series, we’ll be showcasing fantastic Impossible photos taken on voyages the world over. This entry comes from Juli Werner, who recently visited New York City and brought along some Impossible film…

At the end of last year, my husband and I took a quick trip to New York City. It wasn’t our first time visiting, but it was our first time back in almost 8 years. Since we figured we couldn’t make up for 8 years gone in 3 days, we picked out a few things that we absolutely had to do and left the rest up to chance. Our main mission: visit the Impossible Project.

I packed light for the trip, taking one Spectra camera and my trusty SX-70 Alpha 1 SE. It was hard to decide on films. I planned on buying some there, but I also wanted to use up some of my stash. I ended up taking PX 70 Cool, PX 100 UV+ Silver Shade test film, PX 70 Color Protection and an older pack of PZ 600 UV+ Silver Shade Black Frame. I took the Mint Flash bar along as well and it came in handy for taking some photos of friends. While we were at the Impossible Project, I bought some of the new PZ 680 Color Protection which I promptly starting shooting and totally fell in love with it.

The weather was sunny and not too cold; perfect for shooting Impossible films! I put most shots into an inside coat pocket which worked quite well for keeping the film warm but not overheating it. All the Impossible films are great for New York City. The new color protection films were a breeze to use and I was amazed by the true-to-life color, even when using the flash with the PZ 680. The silver shade films, especially the black frame, were great for capturing a timeless feeling especially when shooting architecture.

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Hi friends, and welcome back to 8 Exposures, our ongoing instant film Q&A series. This week, we’re happy to bring you Maryland photographer Ashley Saldana…

1) What kind of Polaroid Camera do you use?

I use a variety of Polaroid cameras. The majority of the time I use my grandparents’ Supercolor 635 CL Polaroid camera. Lately I have been shooting with my SX-70 Model 3 and my Spectra camera.

2) Why do you like instant photography?

I like the fact that every photo you take is completely different, even if you take the same shot twice. I love the minimal control I have of how the photo will develop – that’s what makes instant film so mysterious to me! You just never know exactly how your photo will end up. I also love how the anticipation builds up to watch something right in front of me develop in my hands. It’s like I’m capturing different bits and pieces of the world and taking them with me wherever I go.

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Hello and welcome back to 8 Exposures, our ongoing instant film Q&A series! This week, we turn our lens on Celina Wyss…

1) What kind of Polaroid camera(s) do you use?

I’m always scouting sales and thrift shops for more but currently I shoot with a few different SX-70s, 3 Spectras and have just started playing with a Colorpack IV. My vintage camera collection extends far beyond those however and my closet is full of various 600 models and more. I’m pretty certain I’m going to need a new system for storing them soon.

2) Why do you like instant photography?

I love that what you see is what you get. There is no digital doctoring after the fact and for me that actually feels freeing. I love the imperfection that comes with instant photography. You are free to let the photo be what it is, flaws and all. Instant photography is truly about being in the moment. You stop, just for a moment and witness the world around you. You notice the temperature, the light, the shadows all in a moments time. You take a breath in and then you click. Then waiting for the shot to develop is the icing on the cake. It’s like magic!

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Welcome back to 8 Exposures, our popular instant film Q&A series. This week, we are very happy to bring you German photographer Ghee Dondlinger…

1) What kind of Polaroid camera(s) do you use?

I own two SX-70 models, one of which is a sonar, which is the model I prefer as at allows me to use auto focus; and I also own a Supercolor 635 CL model which I use primarily in low-light conditions.

2) Why do you like instant photography?

I like lo-fi photography in general for its unpredictability and the way the images turn out less than perfect. Instant film in particular I enjoy because they add their own specific sense of ‘unreal’ to the resulting image, a somewhat painterly quality. And for the challenge to make every exposure count. Also, in this digital age, it’s nice that there still are a few things which you can actually touch and hold.

3) What is your earliest memory of instant film?

I think my first conscious exposure to instant film was a book published in 1984 by singer/songwriter David Sylvian. Entitled ‘Perspectives’, it featured collages made from Polaroid photographs. My first hands-on experience with instant film was when I moved to Berlin and one of my flatmates owned a Polaroid camera, which was much used by everyone living in or visiting the flat.

• 
• 
• 

Welcome back to another edition of Dr. Love’s Tips, where Impossible USA’s camera resource manager Frank Love provides you with insight that allows you to get the best out of your Polaroid camera and Impossible film. This week: Viewfinder dysfunction…

Have you ever had the viewfinder on your SX-70 or SLR 680 suddenly go kind of…limp?

It’s ok, it can happen to 1 out of every 5 instant film shooters.

Symptoms can show themselves as:
1. a viewfinder that won’t fully close or open
2. what appears to be a black viewfinder when looking into it (see also: Mirror, Mirror blog post)
3. a small piece of metal sticking out the side of the skirt around the VF.

This can often be a simple issue in which the spring that hooks onto the mirror within the VF has come off the little bit of plastic on the mirror that it grabs to. So long as the piece of the mirror hasn’t broken, here’s a simple fix to put the spring back in place.

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Welcome back to 8 Exposures, our popular instant film Q&A series. This week, we are happy to bring you California photographer Erin McGuire…

1) What kind of Polaroid camera(s) do you use?

The types of Polaroid cameras that I have are an SX-70, Spectra, and a few OneStep 600 box type camera. I also have a few Polaroid backs for large format and pinhole cameras that I like to use, and one Holgaroid.

2) Why do you like instant photography?

There are a lot of reasons why I like instant photography but what it all really boils down to is the quality of the images taken on any kind of instant film. They have their own special look and personality, especially Impossible Project film. No matter what you do with an Impossible Project image, whether it be an emulsion lift, drawing on it, or manipulating it in the digital darkroom, you can tell it’s an IP image because of its distinct characteristics.

3) What is your earliest memory of instant film?

I was born in ’65 and it seems like instant film was always around, but my own personal experiences with the film came when a coworker gave me her old Spectra camera and I took pictures of my boy when he was just a toddler. I still have some of those pictures and the very first IP picture I ever took was with that same Spectra camera.

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Welcome back to our newest addition to the Impossible Blog: Impossible’s Analog Travelog! In this series, we’ll be showcasing fantastic Impossible photos taken on voyages the world over. This entry comes from The Gentleman Amateur, who recently visited Greece and brought along some Impossible film…

1: We started our trip round Greece in Athens, in the Acropolis Museum.

2: When I think of Greece, I think of ancient times, classical civilisation; things that have survived for thousands of years, and still have the power to stop us in our tracks.

3: From the museum, you can look out the window, and see the Acropolis right there on top of the hill, up above the city that’s grown around it. And if you listen very carefully, maybe you can still hear the voices of the gods raining down from the sky.

4: But that’s not the experience of most people in Greece today. The news is all about the Eurozone crisis: about economic and political changes so severe they’re ripping people’s lives to pieces, about riots and flames and the end of the world as we know it.

Welcome back to Dr. Love’s Tips! This week, Impossible USA’s Camera Resource Manager Frank Love discusses the SLR 680…

For any of you who happen to own an SLR 680, you know it is a beautifully well-crafted work of art of instant electronic machinery….it also tends to produce more ‘divots’ or [‘undeveloped patches’] than your friend’s SX-70 camera.

You may be wondering…why?

The simple answer here is the one thing in the ejection process that changes from the older SX-70 cameras to the SLR 680 and 690 model folding cameras, that is the rollers.

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Hello again, Instapals! Welcome back to 8 Exposures, our ongoing instant film Q&A series. This week, we bring you our good friend, Dallas photographer Justin Goode…

1) What kind of Polaroid camera(s) do you use?

A Mamiya RB67 w/ an instant back, Polaroid Automatic 100, Spectra AF, Sonar SX-70 and a SLR 680.

2) Why do you like instant photography?

The whole process is special. You expose a frame, which is then pushed through rollers, smearing developer goop across a negative. A chemical reaction takes place and voila, an image materializes. That is tangibility at its finest. Within minutes you have a work of art in your hands. I like that, because of its analog nature, outside variables can shape the final outcome of the image. Another bonus of instant photography is the connection people have with the film. It’s incredibly nostalgic. Most, if not every person I’ve shot using instant film, smile & exclaim something about how neat, cool, awesome, amazing, unique it is. I couldn’t agree more. It’s all of that and then some.

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Greetings Impossible friends, and welcome back to 8 Exposures, our very popular instant film Q&A series. This week, we’re happy to bring you UK photographer Amy Siân Green…

1) What kind of Polaroid camera(s) do you use?

My SX-70 gets used the most and is my most beloved. I also have two 600 Onestep cameras, one of which used to belong to my dad. They take turns on breaking, usually because I keep getting sand inside them by accident. And who could forget my poor little I-Zone that hasn’t been used since I was ten years old…

2) Why do you like instant photography?

I like that I’m using the same medium that my grandfather used to use. I like that I can hold a Polaroid taken in the late seventies next to a Polaroid taken forty years later and the difference is miniscule.

Funnily enough it’s the slowing down that I prefer when it comes to instant photography. There is a tendency to shoot digital at speed and in multitudes, but with film you have to take your time. And even once the photograph has shot out of the camera, you can sit and wait for the picture to develop in your hands.

AND THE WINNER IS….

Ody and Kila Mae! One of our advent calendar delights was a free SX 70 Gold Edition to one lucky fan. We got more than 1500 comments and after many hours of reading, Impossible Co-founder Dr. Florian Kaps selected Ody and Kila Mae’s submission:

Welcome back to Dr. Love Tips where Impossible USA’s Camera Resource Manager Frank Love provides insight and advice on how to get the best out of your Polaroid cameras and Impossible film. This week: SX-70 Troubleshooting Guide!

After some requests, and many general inquiries, we have created a comprehensive online troubleshooting guide for your SX-70. Simply bookmark the link, and you can always access the guide from anywhere you have an internet connection. You can also download as a PDF, or print it out.

Read through the guide in its entirety before you begin troubleshooting, but as any problem pops up, you will become more familiar with issues that may arise and how you can resolve them.

The goal here is first and foremost to keep everyone shooting with their cameras, and right after that, it’s to prevent people from wasting their precious film to an inexplicable problem that may be easily remedied.

So with that said, here is the SX-70 Troubleshooting Guide. Please feel free to submit questions and feedback on things that may be added or clarified.

As always, Keep your rollers clean,

-f

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Welcome back to our newest addition to the Impossible Blog: Impossible’s Analog Travelog! In this series, we’ll be showcasing fantastic Impossible photos taken on voyages the world over. This entry comes from Abe Bingham, who just visited Morocco and brought along some Impossible film…

In October, my partner and I spent a couple weeks in Morocco, traveling from Tangier to Casablanca and Marrakech by train. We didn’t know a lot about the country except for what we’d read: but we were interested in the dry, hypnotic beauty of the desert, and the feeling of being in a completely new place. In Tangier, we visited the sites of beat and literary history, staying in the same, surprisingly unfussy room that Jack Kerouac did when he visited fifty years prior. Casablanca was full of friendly locals and pickpockets and beautiful architecture. And Marrakech? Well, let’s say it was a little too touristy for our taste, but we did see some remarkable and beautiful sites.

In my previous trip abroad, I hadn’t brought my SX-70, and this time I decided that I wanted to. The camera itself travels remarkably well. I found a snap-locking tupperware that fit my camera perfectly to protect it from bumps and water. The film took up more room in my bag than the camera, and took some explaining at customs in Tangier! Beyond practical logistics, though, the SX-70 is a wonderful camera to travel with. I found myself taking fewer “tourist” shots with it (smiling head in front of whatever famous or beautiful landmark) and more “souvenir” shots. By that I mean close-up photos of small details that can really transport me back there.

With its rigid white and black plastic body and its iconic rainbow stripe, the classic SX-70 OneStep is one of the most recognizable cameras Polaroid ever produced. It was first released in 1977 as a more affordable alternative to the folding SX-70s and has been a fan favorite ever since.

The SX-70 OneStep has a single-element plastic lens with fixed aperture (103mm, f14.6), 4 ft minimum focus distance, an exposure dial and a socket for flashbars. The OneStep can be used with the Impossible Flashbar by Mint or disposable flash bars, and works with any of our film for SX-70s, which can be found HERE.

Just in time for the holidays, we have a very limited quantity of SX-70 OneSteps available in our special White Christmas Rainbow SX-70 Kit. Act now and make your holiday merry and bright!

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Hello friends, and welcome back to 8 Exposures, our instant film Q&A series! This week, we’re happy to bring you London photographer Cyrus Mahboubian…

1) What kind of Polaroid camera(s) do you use?

I’ve collected an unhealthy number of Polaroid cameras in my time and I’ve used most of them, apart from the very early models. My favourite is the original SX-70, but the one I use most often is an SLR 690. It was made in the 80s, based on the SX-70 design and it’s a wonderful camera.

2) Why do you like instant photography?

I like it instinctively, I’ve been hooked since I shot my first Polaroid and watched as the image appeared. Whenever I try to explain it in words, it always comes back to two things: the tangible nature of the prints and their singularity. For those reasons the photographs are more than just photographs, they’re objects. I also like the integrity of instant photography; once you’ve shot the image, there’s nothing more, you can’t edit it – actually that will make you a better photographer. Today everything is digital, but it’s hard to connect with digital images – the vast majority exist only on computer drives and will never be printed. It’s sad. Instant photography is the remedy.

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Hello, friends. Welcome back to 8 Exposures, our popular instant film Q&A series. This week, we’re happy to bring you long-time Impossible supporter and wonderful photographer, Italy’s own Andrea Palei…

1) What kind of Polaroid camera(s) do you use?

I started shooting instant film with the “Polaroid 1000 red button” of my dad. I am passionate and I bought an original SX-70 (my favourite camera), from there I became insane, and I started collecting as many instant cameras as possible. I often use original SX-70 and SLR 680. And sometimes the Spectra and Colorpack II.

2) Why do you like instant photography?

It’s magical. The thing I love most about the instant photography is the unpredictability of the outcome, and the possibility to “touch” the photo and see it “born” slowly under my eyes. Those are things that fascinate me again like the first time.

3) What is your earliest memory of instant film?

The very first memory: I was a child and my father was taking polaroids at the beach and birthday parties.

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Hello, instanteers. Welcome back to 8 Exposures, our popular instant film Q&A series. This week, we happily bring you wonderful California photographer Francisco Chavira…

1) What kind of Polaroid camera(s) do you use?

Like most photographers, I get GAS or Gear Acquisition Syndrome; It’s incredibly easy to get! There are Polaroid cameras everywhere at my place. However, I was challenged by a fellow photographer to stick to one camera and one film, to learn everything about that one camera and that one film. So, I shoot almost exclusively with an SX-70 Sonar. I’ve learned that the sonar doesn’t work most of the time, so I manually focus all the time. Sticking with this one camera, I’ve grown very comfortable with it and shooting it has become very natural. It’s truly an amazing camera, the depth of field and the sharpness of the SX-70 is stunning.

2) Why do you like instant photography?

As a film photographer, having an instant photo at your disposal is incredibly rad. Not only do you get the satisfaction of seeing how your images will look right away, but your subject gets the feeling of accomplishment as well. All the effort your subject put into makeup, hair, posing ect. is worth it. Instant film is powerful, because it has a unique ability to alter someones mood. To think how this one tiny square image, can uplift and excite is amazing. Having that power to instantly uplift your subject on a portrait shoot is powerful.

• 
• 

We’re putting a golden spin on the holiday season this year!

We’ll be giving away this limited edition gold & ivory Alpha SX 70 camera to one lucky fan.

Leave a comment below telling us why you deserve to win! What golden moment will you capture with this camera?

We’ll pick our favorite comment on December 14th. Contest is open to worldwide participants.

Don’t miss this GOLDEN opportunity!

Greetings, friends, and welcome back to Dr. Love’s Tips, where Impossible USA’s Camera Resource Manager Frank Love provides you with advice and insight on how to get the best out of your Polaroid cameras and Impossible film. This entry: Push it! Push it Real Good…

Taking some cues from our Flickr thread, we’ve had some people write in asking about how to shoot SX-70 or 100 speed film in their 600 cameras. Whatever your reasons, be it you’re in a pinch and SX-70 is what’s available, or you want to bring one less camera with you, or you’re going for a different look than your SX-70 gets you, there is always something you can do to trick your camera to think how you want it to…or at least close to it.

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Welcome to our newest addition to the Impossible Blog: Impossible’s Analog Travelogue! In this series, we’ll be showcasing fantastic Impossible photos taken on voyages the world over. Our first entry comes from Ashley Moore, who just visited Rome and brought along some Impossible film…

The first time I visited Rome was in 2008 as part of a month long trip to Italy. At that time I was just starting to rediscover photography and I hadn’t yet delved into the wonderful world of film, specifically instant photography. Since I started shooting instant film and Impossible Project film, I’ve often wished I could go back and re-shoot Rome. This past October of 2012 I was very lucky to be able to do just that.

My husband and I decided to stay in Rome for the whole 2 weeks of our vacation. Even though we had been before, it felt as though we had only scratched the surface and there were so many places still to see. Besides, this time we didn’t want to spend every day run off our feet, this time we wanted to sit and really soak up the city. But Rome is a city of so many layers. With 2500 or so years of history, numerous forms of government, modern urban conveniences, and daily life (past and present) jumbled up into one glorious mess through which it is difficult for someone there for only a short period to truly absorb.

I found that shooting with my SX-70 made me slow down, and look longer at things while I focused, adjusted the composition, re-focused, etc. Something about that square viewfinder view shows me things in such a different way than how my eyes see.

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Welcome back to 8 Exposures, our popular instant film Q&A series. This week, we bring you Tennessee photographer and new mom Ashley Jae Fly…

1) What kind of Polaroid camera(s) do you use?

I use several different Polaroid cameras, but the three I use the most are a Spectra System, an SX-70 Sonar & a Sun 660 I’ve pretty much retired the rest of them.

2) Why do you like instant photography?

I’m in love with instant photography because of its permanence, magic, and the nostalgia I feel when I shoot with it. It’s imperfect, which in my eyes makes it that much cooler. I love the static of it, and the fact that what you see is what you get. We don’t scan our instant photographs and then edit them in photoshop. It is what it is.

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Welcome back to 8 Exposures, our ever-popular instant film Q&A series. This week, we’re very happy to bring you the photography of Carla Triolo…

1) What kind of Polaroid camera(s) do you use?

My favorite camera is my folding SX-70 Sonar. I take it with me everywhere. If not for the fear that I would roll over and crush it, rendering it useless and reducing me to a blubbering incoherent heap on the floor…I would snuggle with it in bed every night. It was the first Polaroid camera I was truly successful with. Out of all the cameras I have, I find it the most portable and it has always yielded great results. I also use a Spectra SE, a Polaroid Land Model 250 and my grandfather’s Polaroid Land Model 350.

2) Why do you like instant photography?

I love the unpredictability of instant photography. No matter how I picture an image turning out I am never 100% on point. You never know exactly what will happen. Also, I appreciate the fact that unlike digital photography, I can’t just delete and retake as I please. This makes me focus a lot more on what I want to photograph and how. I think the extra care and thought really shows through in the pictures. You can tell how much love was put into it.

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Hello, friends, and welcome back to 8 Exposures, our popular instant film Q&A series. This week, we are happy to bring you Rhode Island artist and photographer Gregory Geiger…

1) What kind of Polaroid camera(s) do you use?

Other than a few button pushes when I was very young, I started my own instant film aventure with a Polaroid Joy Cam. I got frustrated with the strange form-factor, even though I loved the ease of multiple exposures. After that my constant companion, for about two years, was an i-Zone camera. I loved the ease of use and the size of the camera, but when I got frustrated with the ultra tiny images, I transitioned to a Polaroid One. I used that grey box cam until I ran out of the original Polaroid film. I finally gave that camera away, which was a sad day indeed.

When Impossible Project started making film, I was a little bit hesitant. I wasn’t sure if it was going to be the real thing or how long it was going to last, so I picked up a Green One Step Express from the NYC store. I fell in love with the First Flush film, fell in love with the Impossible Project itself, and three months later got the SX-70 Alpha One that I am madly in love with and literally carry with me everywhere.

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Welcome back to 8 Exposures, our ongoing instant film Q&A series. This week, we are pleased to bring you UK photographer Leanne Surfleet…

1) What kind of Polaroid camera(s) do you use?

I have a few different Polaroid cameras but the main 3 I use are my Spectra, 450 Land and non-folding SX-70.

2) Why do you like instant photography?

Well, I never thought of myself as an impatient person but when it comes to photography I like to see the results instantly! Then I feel that I can move on with my shoot and change things up. I just find it exciting and feel that it’s a great skill to master, to have a certain control over your instant photographs. I’ve been shooting instant film for around 6 years now and I’m still completely amazed and confused by the whole process! Only having a certain amount of exposures makes me think about each one carefully before pressing the shutter, I’ve learnt over the years to not get too excited about a fresh pack of film and waste them. I cherish each and every one of my instant photographs.

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Welcome back to 8 Exposures, our popular instant film Q&A series! This week, we are proud to present you with Florida photographer Ritchard Ton…

1) What kind of Polaroid camera(s) do you use?

I have several sx-70s, an automatic 100, 195 land camera, numerous plastic One Steps, and a modified one shot into a pinhole.

2) Why do you like instant photography?

First, it was about watching the photo develop.
After that, it was about instantly having a photo to document the moment.
And then it was the ability to manipulate the photo.
And then it was the camera. The SX-70 is the best camera ever built. Yeah, I said ever.
And then it was the excitement of being a part of the creation of a new film and process of perfecting the film.
Now, it’s all of the above.

3) What is your earliest memory of instant film?

As a child, my family had a Kodak Handle instant camera. To me, watching instant photos develop was amazing. Not having to take a roll of film to local photomat kiosk in the A&P parking lot and wait a week to see the photos was really something special.

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Welcome back to 8 Exposures, our popular instant film Q&A series. This entry focuses on Virginia photographer Caleb Jenkins…

1) What kind of Polaroid camera(s) do you use?

As of now I have a single SX-70 Sears Special with the original skin, two 600 cameras, two Spectra cameras and one 420 Land Camera. Among those, my SX-70 is my favorite and most used. I love the history and pop culture behind the SX-70 camera and how vintage and iconic it is. I’m a big fan of the 70s, so my SX-70 is a perfect fit for me.

2) Why do you like instant photography?

Seeing as this question has been answered many times before me it’s quite hard to sum up an answer that isn’t anywhere near cliche. I guess I’ll have to go ahead and conform to all other answers, because instant photography is simply magical. I love that with each image I take, it’s the only image that will ever look that way. It’s truly a single edition. One main reason that I’ve been pulled into instant photography is that I feel it brings me back to reality.

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Greetings from Impossible! Welcome back to 8 Exposures, our ongoing instant film Q&A series. This week, we’re happy to bring you Nebraska college professor and photographer Meghan Davidson…

1) What kind of Polaroid camera(s) do you use?

Most often, I shoot with my SX-70. I love the depth of field that camera allows and the way you can really select the focus. I also love shooting with the Spectra for self-portraits and double exposures, and I have a Polaroid 250 that I need to spend more quality time with. And, I’m really hoping to get my hands on an SLR 680 some day.

2) Why do you like instant photography?

I have a special affection for film, especially instant film. I love when I put a pack in my Polaroid and close the film door, that the camera immediately comes to life, clicking and whirring and shooting out the dark slide. Instant film feels so timeless, so classic to me. There’s simply a magical quality about shooting with it. Because of the limited number of frames, each click of the shutter is special.

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Welcome back to 8 Exposures, our popular instant film Q&A series. This week, we are happy to bring you Australian designer and photographer Amanda Mason…

1) What kind of Polaroid camera(s) do you use?

I primarily use my folding SX-70 original and an SLR 680. If I was onboard a sinking ship and had to start throwing all my cameras overboard, I would go down with these two. I think they are design masterpieces capable of producing simply lovely images.

2) Why do you like instant photography?

I adore the dreamlike nature of the film. All instant film creates a nostalgic, other-worldly, soft toned patina. It is a dreamy little world that I want to live in all the time. Everytime I shoot instant film I am drawn into another dimension straight away. Everytime I see an instant photograph I feel like I am looking at a memory. Of course having the photograph in your hands in a matter of minutes is quite nice too.

3) What is your earliest memory of instant film?

My earliest memory of instant film is my grandmothers Polaroid camera. As kids we were absolutely fascinated by integral film, the magic of it all. She used that camera as her everyday camera, we still have those Polaroids in our family album. I bought my first Polaroid camera when I was 16.

• 
• 
• 
• 

Greetings, instant film lovers. Welcome back to Viewfinder, our series that chronicles interesting projects that incorporate Impossible film. This week, we are happy to bring you Anielika Sykes…

My fascination with water and light are at the heart of this series of diptychs in which self-portraits are paired with still life photographs. My Polaroid SX-70 Sonar camera, Impossible Project PX 70 film, water – first boiled, then cold – and hot press water colour paper are the tools that have allowed me to manipulate physical images. The process of being submersed in water has resulted in loose transfers to assume new life beyond the surface.

Each set of diptychs aims to relate the notion of memory: one, a self portrait in which I look out from a familiar place associated with childhood; and the other, a still life meant to capture treasured objects associated with someone the child holds dear. The self-portraits are for the most part, shot in the High Park area in Toronto.

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Hello, Impossible friends! Welcome back to 8 Exposures, our instant film Q&A series. This week, we bring you Minnesota artist and photographer Jessica Shimek…

1) What Polaroid cameras do you use?

A Polaroid SX-70, A Polaroid Spirit 600, a 240 Land Camera and a Polaroid back on my Hasselblad 501c/m.

2) Why do you like instant photography?

Every photography medium has a different feeling and portrays a different mood. I love the mood that instant photography gives me. It is warm and sometimes a bit faded…this will sound cheesy, but I feel like each image is a tangible bit of a memory.

3) What is your earliest memory of instant film?

I don’t know that I have an earliest memory that I can really remember. Polaroids and instant film were just always there. My parents had a Polaroid 600 camera and took tons of photos of me when I was younger. I grew up with it. It was never not a thing. I don’t remember the first time I watched an instant photo develop, but I remember that it was magical every time.

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Hello, friends! Welcome back to 8 Exposures, our popular instant film Q&A series. This week, we present to you South Carolina photographer Brian Green…

1) What kind of Polaroid camera(s) do you use?

What I usually have on me at a basic shoot are two Mamiya RB67s with Polaroid pack film backs: one with a 180mm lens and one a 90mm, a Polaroid Colorpack, and an SX-70 Sonar. I have around 30 cameras in my collection but those are my main ones that get used daily.

2) Why do you like instant photography?

The instant aspect of course; I am a person who likes to put work out as it’s created so waiting on developing film would slow that down a little. Also in my opinion nothing comes close to the colors and feel the instant film gives.

3) What is your earliest memory of instant film?

My mom has always been artistic, from painting, to wood work to photography so she introduced me to it at an early age and it has always had a soft spot in my heart some of the only photos I have of my father are on Polaroid 600 film.

It’s time for another edition of Dr. Love’s Tips, in which Impossible USA’s Camera Resource Manager Frank Love provides you with advice on how to get the best out of your camera and Impossible film. This week’s entry will hopefully offer some answers to the oft-asked questions about pack film, 4×5 film and roll film…

We have gotten many requests, questions, and pleas about creating more than just the amazing formats of SX-70, Spectra, and 600 film since the initial announcement of The Impossible Project. These requests have especially been renewed recently with the unveiling of our new 8×10 film.

I just want to take a moment to explain how it is we have come to be manufacturing the films we do, and why we aren’t making other formats.

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Welcome back to 8 Exposures, our popular instant film Q&A series. This week, we are happy to bring you DC-based photographer Rachel Carrier…

1) What kind of Polaroid camera(s) do you use?

Almost always I am using an original model SX-70 that I picked up years ago at a thrift store. I also use an SX-70 model 2 from time to time and the Impulse camera for indoor/party shots where I’m not as worried about composing. I also have worked a lot on double exposures with my Spectra camera.

2) Why do you like instant photography?

I fell in love with Time Zero film a few years before it went out of production. I love the color contrast and saturation of the film and the fact that it often gave me unexpected results. I love Impossible film for the same reason. The colors are gorgeous and I actually love the light sensitivity of the film, it gives each shot its own aura.

3) What is your earliest memory of instant film?

Probably looking at photos in our family albums when I was a kid, so many of them were instant photos.

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Welcome back to 8 Exposures, our instant film Q&A series. This week, we’re happy to bring you Texas photog Troy Bradford…

1) What kind of Polaroid camera(s) do you use?

I have three working SX-70s, one 250 pack film camera, one modified 250 pack film camera with a Rodenstock 127mm lens added, one 100 pack film camera, two Spectra cameras, one 600 One Step Closeup and a 104 pack film camera converted to a pinhole camera.

2) Why do you like instant photography?

As most people will say, I like the fact that you get to hold the image immediately. In addition to that, I also like the fact that you get to watch the image come to life. The thrill of this process takes me back to my days in high school when I had my own darkroom and was able to watch film images develop before my eyes in the chemical bath. So that takes care of touch and sight, but I also like the smell of the peel-apart films. It is not like the smell is a pleasant one, it is just the fact that you can relate this smell to a developing picture…Now if you separate out just Impossible film and ask the same question, I would say that holding an Impossible image is like instantly holding a small piece of artwork.

Greetings from LoveLand! Welcome back to Dr. Love’s Tips, where Impossible USA’s Camera Resource Manager Frank Love provides you with helpful advice and insight into your Polaroid cameras and how to get the best out of Impossible film. This week, Frank talks about rejuvenating your camera’s rollers…

For anyone with an SX-70, folding or not, you have Polaroid’s ‘First Draft’ at roller design.

These are rollers that work by having a sort of teflon coating on the top roller. It’s this material that ‘grips’ the film as it’s ejecting to move it through the rollers for processing.

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Welcome back to 8 Exposures, kiddies. This week, our instant film Q&A series focuses on Fernanda Montoro…

1) What kind of Polaroid camera(s) do you use?

The camera I love and use the most is the Polaroid SX-70. That’s the dream camera for me, the camera that has become the extension of my eyes. I often use a Polaroid 600 SE and Polaroid Spectra too. My little Polaroid camera collection also includes an SLR 680, a Mio, a couple of Miniportraits. And, of course, many SX-70s! I like to have them handy and to play with them from time to time, depending on the mood.

2) Why do you like instant photography?

I like absolutely everything about it!: Being able to watch the past become picture, in front of my eyes. Those whirring mechanical sounds that instant cameras make. Its distinctive painterly qualities, texture, saturation, ‘imperfections’. I even enjoy the limitation of having a limited number of shots! (Makes me respect the medium, compose more carefully, try my best in every frame). Also, thanks to instant photography I started to look at photography in a more serious way.

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Welcome back to 8 Exposures, our instant film Q&A series. This week, we bring you German wonder Thomas Böttcher…

1) What kind of Polaroid camera(s) do you use?

I have got three SX-70s (all without autofocus), a Spectra, several 600 cameras, two Landcameras: 320 and 330, and one 4×5 Polaback for my Sinar F 2. My favorite camera however is my SX-70 because it allows more room for creative work. I especially appreciate the aspect of the selective focus and the vintage charm of these cameras.

2) Why do you like instant photography?

Most people like instant photography because each photo is unique and can be looked at in a relatively short time. These are certainly also important aspects of instant photography for me, but I value even more the unique charm of the instant photography. It lives partly through its technical deficiency, its not being one hundred per cent perfect. A lot of photos today are defined exclusively through their technical perfection, so that the message of a picture often recedes into the background.

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Welcome back to 8 Exposures, our instant film Q&A series. This week, we are happy to present to you our good friend, Arizona wonder Sol Exposure…

1) What kind of Polaroid camera(s) do you use?

Although it seems like a good amount of my cameras are in an inoperable state, I tend to lean on my Polaroid SX-70 that I got refurbished from Unsaleable (Impossible’s predecessor), Hasseblad 503cw, Polaroid 450, Polaroid Spectra Pro and an Agfa Viking. I’ll usually throw one or two other ancient cameras in the bag, depending on what the shoot/trip is.

2) Why do you like instant photography?

Primarily, because of the unexpectedness of the film, especially if it’s expired. Every type of film has a learning curve and that’s fascinating to me. It’s wonderful to want, or to be told by a client, to achieve a certain look and to know what combination of camera and film will be able to create it. Also, I’m probably impatient.

• 
• 
• 
• 

As many consumers had difficulty with the manual focus on their original SX-70s, Polaroid began producing autofocus models in 1978. The Time Zero Autofocus Model 2, introduced in the early 1980s, differed from the 1978 version only in that the body is plastic instead of chrome-plated. It utilized the same advanced sonar technology.
When the shutter button is pressed halfway, a series of ultrasonic chirps is emitted from an electrostatic transducer located under a plate over the lens. These chirps travel to the subject and bounce back to the camera’s receiver, alerting the camera to the subject’s distance, and the lens is turned on a motor to focus accordingly.

The Polaroid Time Zero Autofocus Model 2 features a 4-element 116mm glass lens, manual or autofocus capabilities, with a minimum focal length of 10.4 inches, electronic shutter, programmed automatic exposure and a socket for flashbars or electronic flashes. Another nice feature is a socket for an electrically-actuated remote shutter release.

The Time Zero AF Model 2 works with all of Impossible’s SX-70 films, which can be purchased HERE

To see a user manual for the SX-70 Sonar models, click HERE.

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Greetings from 8 Exposures Land! It’s good to see you again! This week in our instant film Q&A series, we spoke with Balthazar Simões…

1) What kind of Polaroid camera(s) do you use?

My favorite Polaroid cameras are my SX-70 (of course) and a Polaroid 350. I have a Spectra, too and a Polaroid Studio Express 484 that has 4 lenses and is quite fun.

2) Why do you like instant photography?

Because it’s an experience of true magic. Because it’s an instant tangible artifact. Because each image is one-of-a-kind and can’t be reproduced.

3) What is your earliest memory of instant film?

My Grandpa was always the one with the cameras when I was growing up. I can still remember the feeling of watching a polaroid develop when we went to visit my grandparents for Christmas. Most things become less magical as we grow older, but it persists with my experience of instant film. My Grandpa passed away two summers ago and I was recently given all of his cameras. Sadly, he no longer had his Polaroid cameras, but he had quite a few film cameras that I now cherish. One of the cameras still had some film in it, and I just had it developed last week. All the photos were of this vase of tulips.

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Welcome back to 8 Exposures, friends. This week in our popular instant film Q&A series, we’re happy to bring you California photographer Micaela Go…

1) What kind of Polaroid camera(s) do you use?

Recently, I’ve been using an SLR 680 I’ve borrowed from a friend (I’ve gone through 3 already), but I also use my SX-70, ProPack and have picked up a Minolta Instant Pro and hope to use it more often.

2) Why do you like instant photography?

Right before all those little compact digital cameras became so ubiquitous, I picked up my first SLR 680. I loved it because it was instant – I could take a photo and have something tangible in my hands within seconds, then see the actual image within minutes. Now, Impossible Project film adds so many more qualities to instant photography that I love. I’m drawn to the unpredictability of the film, and every image is unique. The novelty of having this one image and it being the only one of its kind is remarkable. There’s also the aspect of how ephemeral the images are; watching each exposure develop and seeing how it continues to change after days, weeks, and months is something I find rather exciting.

3) What is your earliest memory of instant film?

I was probably around 12 years old when I found my dad’s old One Step (with film in it!) and I took it with me everywhere. I took pictures of my friends and family mostly (not much has changed since then).

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Hello, Impossible friends, and welcome back to 8 Exposures, our popular instant film Q&A series. This week, we are happy to present you with a special 8 Exposures featuring one of our biggest fans and greatest friends, Joep Gottemaker…

1) What kind of Polaroid camera(s) do you use?

I mainly use my SX-70 original from 1972. I also own packfilm cameras, a Spectra and SLR 680 camera. I use the Spectra 1200 (with LCD screen) a lot too. The SX-70 goes everywhere with me. If it’s to Paris or just a dog walk, the SX-70 is in my pocket.

2) Why do you like instant photography?

I think the main reason is the fact that every Impossible is one of a kind. There is just that special quality to the pictures that no other medium has. Not 35mm or digital, the pictures just have that “magical” color to it.

And the fact that the pictures are instantly pushed in your hands. The sound of the motor, the picture coming out and the development. The thing with Impossible film is that you can’t predict what the picture will turn out like. With old fashioned Polaroid film, you could see the the picture develop before your eyes.

It’s time for another edition of Dr. Love’s Tips, where Impossible USA’s Camera Resource Manager Frank Love provides you with advice on how to get the most out of your Polaroid camera and Impossible film. This week: Shooting Checklist.

Yo, Camera Checklist, one-two, what is this?

Thanks to our Flickr thread looking for suggestions, we got a topic request for a ‘Shooting Checklist’. In effect, something people can use to make sure they have everything set before shooting. I think when it comes to being prepared, there’s more than one ‘list’, there’s the checklist for when you leave the house, and then there’s the checklist you have for every time you take a shot.

• 
• 
• 
• 

In the late 1970s, Polaroid began to manufacture plastic-bodied non-folding cameras for their SX-70 film, as an alternative to the more expensive folding SX-70s. Numerous iterations of these “OneSteps” appeared through the early 80s, with slight design variations and features. “The Button” is one of those iterations.

Like the other rigid plastic SX-70 OneStep models, The Button had a single-element plastic lens, fixed focus, electronic shutter, programmed auto exposure and a socket for flashbars or electronic flash attachments. What makes The Button unique is its two-toned grey coloring and stylized “The Button” typeface.

The Button works with any of Impossible’s SX-70 films which can be purchased HERE

To see a user manual for SX-70 box-type cameras like The Button, click HERE and HERE

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Greetings, instamaniacs. Welcome back to 8 Exposures, our instant film Q&A series. This entry brings you Michigan photographer and good Impossible friend Kim Oberski…

1) What kind of Polaroid camera(s) do you use?

I primarily use a Polaroid SX-70 original but have recently added a modified Polaroid 110a with integral and pack film backs. Also on the camera shelf: Mamiya RB67 with integral film back, Polaroid rainbow onestep (which was my Grandmother’s), Polaroid 210 (what my mom used 40-some years ago), a Spectra, and a variety of Polaroid 600s.

2) Why do you like instant photography?

I love how instant film has taught me to let go of trying to make an image “perfect.” Sure a divot shows up, one of the chemical pods streaks, or the image is slightly out of focus; it doesn’t matter because those can be the very imperfections which make the image perfect.

3) What is your earliest memory of instant film?

I don’t have an exact memory of when I first remember instant film, it seems instant film/cameras have always been around me somehow. Growing up, every time I looked in the coat closet, I remember seeing…

• 
• 
• 
• 

As many consumers had difficulty focusing with their original SX-70s, Polaroid released an autofocus model of their folding SX-70 in 1978. The SX-70 Time Zero Auto-Focus utilized a new and very advanced sonar technology. When the shutter button is pressed halfway, a series of ultrasonic chirps is emitted from an electrostatic transducer located under a plate over the lens. These chirps travel to the subject and bounce back to the camera’s receiver, alerting the camera to the subject’s distance, and the lens is turned on a motor to focus accordingly.

The Polaroid SX-70 Time Zero Auto-Focus features a 4-element 116mm glass lens, manual or autofocus capabilities, with a minimum focal length of 10.4 inches, electronic shutter…

Photo by Rommel Pecson

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Hello, Impossibles! We’re back with another entry in our instant film Q&A series, 8 Exposures. This week, we are happy to bring you LA-based Brit wonder Toby Hancock

1. What kind of Polaroid camera(s) do you use?:

I built an extensive collection of Polaroid cameras in the 1990s, which was a time when they could be bought dirt cheap at flea markets and on eBay. So, I regularly use two somewhat beaten up SLR 680s and two or three SX-70 Sonars. I usually have at least two on hand loaded with different types of film. I have turned my 680s into Frankenroids by swapping the film doors for SX-70 ones, which has resulted in fewer divots (not that there’s anything wrong with divots!). Impossible Project’s Dr “Frankenroid” Love has a very informative blog post about this simple transformation HERE.

2. Why do you like instant photography?:

As many before me have said, it’s magic in the palm of your hand. It’s unpredictable and often creates unexpected, but beautiful results. Undoubtedly, the more you shoot, the more predictable it becomes, but there’s always the potential for one of those perfect mistakes to be lurking around the next corner.

3 simple rules to shoot Impossible film by:

1. Always expect the unexpected and embrace the fact that it might give you some of your best images
2. There’s no such thing as a wasted Polaroid
3. Never throw any photograph away
4. There’s probably a fourth rule, but I can’t...Read All

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Welcome back to 8 Exposures, our instant film Q&A series. This week, we bring you California-based Laura Alice Watt…

Q1) What kind of Polaroid camera(s) do you use?

A: The workhorse is my trusty SLR 680, looking a bit worse for wear these days as it’s usually my travel Polaroid. It’s kept company by a tan SX-70 (such an elegant creation!), a Spectra and an Automatic 250, plus packfilm camera backs for the Hasselblad and, most recently, Crown Graphic. Plenty of fine cams to choose from!

Q2) Why do you like instant photography?

A: There’s of course the relatively-instant gratification (compared to regular film, not digital) of seeing them develop, and the sheer tangibility of a pola, that it’s both an image and an object; for me, the biggest allure is the way these cameras and films “see.” Light glows differently through instant film than through any other kind, there’s just nothing else like it—all those Pola-Droid apps are sad, sad imitations at best—real instant film provides a unique and characteristic view of the world, a way of seeing the subject that directly enhances and contributes to its beauty or intrigue. And I like that sense of interaction, not only between photographer and subject but also through the distinctive medium of the film—and of course the serendipity.

Q3) What is your earliest memory of instant film?

A: I’m perhaps a bit unusual among instant photographers, in that I don’t have any nostalgic memories of polaroids from the past; both of...Read All

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Welcome back to 8 Exposures, our popular instant film Q&A series. This week, we turn our lens on Texas teacher and photographer Tyler Tyndell…

1) What kind of Polaroid camera(s) do you use?

The truth is that by the time this interview runs, it will have changed. Realizing the potential for all Polaroid camera models to be useful, I acquire them readily. Of course, my SX-70 is with me at all times as well as two 250 Land Cameras. Being as it is, when my SX-70 needs troubleshooting, my father-in-law is kind enough to lend me one of his. Other cameras that are usually with me are an SX-70 Pronto and a Polaroid Spectra.

2) Why do you like instant photography?

Can I give a dissertation? In all seriousness, instant photography breathes creativity. For me it provides an avenue for creativity that I would have never been exposed to otherwise. I believe the addictive quality induced from instant photography is best explained by truly understanding the magnitude of what happens the moment you press the shutter. It could be everything or nothing that you imagined. The 35-year-old camera could false shoot and you may end up transferring the pack to another camera, just to harvest the image.

Hello again, Dr. Love fans! This week, Dr. Love talks about the occasional hiccups you may experience when using the Impossible Flash Bar by Mint with your SX-70…

We’ve had several people write in asking for some help in how to use their new Impossible Mint Flashbars. For many people, they are only now using a flash on their cameras for the first time. Either that, or they haven’t used a flash for a long while.

It is not uncommon to encounter some issues when first trying a flash on your camera. These cameras as you all know are old, and even ones repaired to the best of anyone’s ability can show some quirks when first using a flash again.

Photo by Kisha Bari

Master an Iconic Tool in the History of Analog Photography!

The Impossible Project NYC Space is excited to welcome back a classic workshop on the most celebrated of Polaroid cameras, the SX-70. On Sunday, May 20th, the Impossible team will host a three hour interactive workshop on maximizing Impossible film in the Polaroid Sx-70 Camera. Our introductory workshops are designed to give you the confidence you need to let your imagination run wild! We’ll discuss the features of the SX-70 camera and focus on shooting techniques to ensure you achieve the best results out of the newest Impossible films available.

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Hello, Viewfinder fans. Welcome back to our feature celebrating interesting projects that incorporate Impossible film. This week, we bring you photographer and new father James Erin de Jauregui…

“Shortly before my daughter was born, I began thinking of a personal project that I could do with her. Being a photographer, taking pictures of her was a given. So, I began to think of how I could challenge myself. I knew that I wanted to do something that wouldn’t be easy and would have lots of options to be displayed in a possible final art piece.

With that in mind, I decided that I would try my best to take at least one Polaroid of her a day. From there, I decided to limit myself to only SX-70 cameras. I do have a Polaroid 600 SE, a Spectra camera, a couple of folding Land Cameras, Polaroid backs for medium format cameras and a 4×5. I could try to utilize them all, but keeping this project to just integral film would give me a consistently-sized medium. Plus, the folding SX-70 is a great camera that can be taken anywhere without being cumbersome.

Another reason I choose to use Impossible Project film is because I really wanted this medium to work. Being born in the late 70s, it was easy to take Polaroid for granted. They were always there and available just about everywhere. Polaroid film was one of those items that you just never thought would be gone. However, when Polaroid ceased production in 2008, I was heartbroken.

As many consumers had difficulty focusing with their original SX-70s, Polaroid released an autofocus model of their folding SX-70 in 1978. The SX-70 Sonar OneStep utilized a new and very advanced sonar technology. When the shutter button is pressed halfway, a series of ultrasonic chirps is emitted from an electrostatic transducer located under a plate over the lens. These chirps travel to the subject and bounce back to the camera’s receiver, alerting the camera to the subject’s distance, and the lens is turned on a motor to focus accordingly.

The Polaroid SX-70 Sonar OneStep features a 4-element 116mm glass lens, manual or autofocus capabilities, with a minimum focal length of 10.4 inches, electronic shutter, programmed automatic exposure and a socket for flashbars or electronic flashes. Another nice feature is a socket for an electrically-actuated remote shutter release.

(More after the jump!)

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Welcome back to 8 Exposures, our instant film Q&A series! This week, we bring you polaroid portrait wizard Luciano Noble…

Q1) What kind of Polaroid camera(s) do you use?

A: I use two Polaroid cameras, a Polaroid SLR 680 and an SX-70. I’ve got loads in my apartment, but they’re decorative more than anything else. I’ve gone through my packfilm period, my simple Polaroid period, used a Big Shot for a bit. But there’s just nothing like the SX-70 and its kin that fits me better, the amount of control I like, the quality I require, the form factor, hell, even the little noises the motors make in the SLR 680, that there is music to my ears.

Q2) Why do you like instant photography?

A: I love it because it’s utterly unique. Unique in the pictures that are created, in the interactions using such strange cameras creates between you and your subject, unique in the palette, in the creation of a physical artifact. I’ve been using Polaroid since 1996, it’s been with me for, well, for the majority of my life. Polaroid is responsible for my love of photography.

And it’s not really about film, it’s about Instant film. It’s about having it immediately, about creating this little piece of work that you made mere moments ago, and having it in your hands, showing the person you photographed what you saw, that this picture right here is how I see you.

Much like Polaroid’s “The Button”, the OneStep SE is identical in features to the original non-folding SX-70 “Rainbow” OneStep. The only difference is the color scheme. Instead of a white body, the OneStep SE is a shiny black, and the shutter release button is sky blue.

The OneStep SE’s rigid plastic body and fixed focus single element 103mm f/14.6 plastic lens made it a more affordable option than the folding SX-70 models.

The OneStep SE features an electronic shutter, programmed auto exposure and a socket for flashbars or electronic flash units.

The OneStep SE works with any of the Impossible Project SX-70 films, including PX 70 Color Shade film and PX 100 Silver Shade UV+ film

• 
• 

Hello from Impossible! Dr. Love is back with another informative post in which he revisits the importance of shielding your images…

“Some people have asked some follow up questions to our Opacification post, and as the days are getting longer, we wanted to help stress the use of Impossible Films on those bright sunny summer days.

To simply summarize the main point from the opacification post, Impossible films are still sensitive to light in the first moments out of the camera. This is because the protective layer within the film that is there to protect the film can’t yet block out enough light in many situations that it needs an outside aide.

The Polaroid 1000 is a foreign-markets version of the original US non-folding SX-70 “Rainbow” Onestep. It is a basic plastic-bodied camera with single-element plastic lens, a fixed aperture (103mm, f14.6), fixed focus with minimal focal length of 4 feet, electronic shutter and an exposure adjustment knob surrounding the camera’s electric eye.

The 1000, like the OneStep models, has a socket for flashbars or electronic flash units, such as the Q-Light, which was specifically designed with the OneStep series in mind.

The Polaroid 1000 works with all of Impossible’s SX-70 films. For a selection of compatible films, click HERE

• 

This week, Impossible USA’s Camera Resource Manager Frank Love explains the importance of caring for your camera’s rollers…

The all important rollers, and why you need to keep them clean. The rollers in your camera are a vital and often overlooked part of instant photography. The condition of the rollers will directly affect any image that comes from your camera.

The rollers that are on every Polaroid Camera, however old or new it is, large or small, one film type or another, they are what make the ‘magic’ of instant film possible. The rollers are what the film passes through to initiate the development of the film and print. Every piece of instant film from Polaroid to Impossible, of all sizes, has two main components that make it all work…

The Polaroid SX-70 Original camera is the holy grail of instant cameras, and in some respects, cameras in general. It was first introduced in 1972 after years of development and research, and was the very first camera designed for use with integral format film.

The SX-70 Original is a single-lens reflex camera, with chrome-plated plastic body and genuine tan leather accents. It collapses flat when shut, allowing for easy portability. The earliest SX-70 models do not have a focus scale, instead bearing only the notches surrounding the lens, as seen in the above photo. They also had a plain ground glass focusing screen with no split-image rangefinder as was common in later models.

The SX-70 sports a 4-element 116mm f/8 glass lens, electronic shutter and programmed automatic exposure, a socket for flashbars or electronic flash units and a port for a remote shutter release. One of the best things about the SX-70 is…

(More after the jump!)

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Welcome, friends, to another foray into instant-filmdom, via our popular interview series 8 Exposures! This week, we turn the spotlight on Jarrod Renaud…

1) What kind of Polaroid camera(s) do you use?

A Polaroid 195 and Polaroid SX-70 Alpha 1.

2) Why do you like instant photography?

It’s analog and it’s instant. I shoot a lot of 35mm film also, but have the hardest time being patient when it comes to waiting for development and scans. With Polaroid, it’s like Christmas morning with every shot. I love that I’ve got something physical in my hand at the end of a shoot. I also feel like you automatically capture a sense of nostalgia with the slight inconsistency of film and the general color palette.

3) What is your earliest memory of instant film?

Growing up, I never had a Polaroid stuck in my face, there was never one laying around, although my parents took a million photos. It was all point/shoot and SLR cameras. So my first real experience with one was a Polaroid Auto 100 that I found at a thrift shop…

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Hello, fellow shooters, and welcome back to Viewfinder! This week, we train our lens on west coast student, computer tech specialist and photographer Erin McGuire…

“I live on the western edge of the Mojave desert in the Palmdale/Lancaster part of Los Angeles county. It’s a diverse community with some areas being very well off financially and others that are literally living in the dirt. The area gets used by Hollywood quite often so there is a rich movie history here as well. The landscape is as diverse as the community because we are situated where the desert meets the mountains. There are oak trees mixed with Joshua trees, bobcats mixed with mountain lions and Mojave rattlers mixed with western diamond backs. The strange beauty of this place inspires me to shoot on a daily basis but it was Impossible Project film that got me moving in a fine art direction.

I have a deep, emotional connection with the land that I formed as a young child when we’d go camping in this area. Impossible Project film with its mysterious artifacts and its sensitivity to light creates images that, for me, embody the spiritual connection I have with the land. I’ve used PX 100 Silver Shade, PX 70 Color Shade, PX 600 Silver Shade, and PZ 600 Silver Shade. Impossible film is my film of choice for photographing this land and its inhabitants. I also love to shoot the Paul Giambarba Polaroid Chocolate film, which I also got from The Impossible Project, for the same reasons.

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Hello, Impossibles! We’re happy to bring you another entry in our ever-popular question and answer series, 8 Exposures. In this episode, the man of the hour is George Weiss III, a photographer based in Philadelphia, specializing in weddings and portraits, with a love for analog photography…

1) Q: What kind of Polaroid camera(s) do you use?

A: I have a bunch, I’m a bit of a hoarder, er, I mean collector, but I primarily use a couple SX-70 Sonars, an SLR 680, and I have a 250 for packfilm.

2) Q: Why do you like instant photography?

A: Hmph, where do I start? I think the biggest reason is the fact that it has a life and a soul that can’t be found in any other medium. I love the feeling of anticipation I get when I’ve taken a photo and I’m waiting for it to develop or to peel it. It’s magic.

3) Q: What is your earliest memory of instant film?

A: I have a lot of pictures of myself as a child (probably in the 3-year-old range) that were taken by my grandfather but I don’t actually remember them being taken. When I was a young child in the 80’s, Polaroid photos were so ubiquitous it was hard to avoid them.

The Polaroid Presto! camera was first introduced in 1978, a slight variation on the non-folding SX-70 One Step camera. Its rigid plastic body and fixed focus single element 103mm f/14.6 plastic lens made it a more affordable option than the folding SX-70 models.

The Presto! has a tan and black body with the trademark Polaroid rainbow stripe, an electronic shutter, programmed auto exposure and a socket for flashbars or electronic flash units.

The Presto! works with any of the Impossible Project SX-70 films, including PX 70 Color Shade film and PX 100 Silver Shade UV+ film

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Hi there, friends! Welcome back to 8 Exposures, our instant film question & answer series. This week, we spoke with Phoenix, AZ-based Sean Rohde…

1) Q: What kind of Polaroid camera(s) do you use?

A: Loaded Question! I mostly use my 190 and 195, but I also have a 180, Fuji Fotorama FP-1, Mamiya Universal, Crown Graphic with Polaroid and Fuji backs, SX-70 Model 2 (white), SX-70 Alpha 1 Model 2 (black and modified for 600), Colorpack III, Big Swinger 3000, and some other stuff, plus things I have owned and sold in the past, like a Konica Instant Press and modified roll film cameras, as well as various plastic hard case and folder cameras. I would love to have a 185 to complete my collection, but they seemed to have gone up in value in the past two years to some ridiculous prices. I have to use my cameras, not just look at them on a shelf.

2) Q: Why do you like instant photography?

??A: Well, certainly the fact that it is instant is a draw. Though sometimes I don’t peel my 100 and 80 for six hours so I guess they aren’t always so instant. There is just a certain quality that instant films have that film doesn’t have. Color shifts, textures…it all kind of gives photos a vintage quality that I like.

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Hello again, 8 Exposures fanatics! We’re back with another splendid entry in our instant film interview series. This week, we spoke with Andrew Millar…

1) Q: What kind of Polaroid camera(s) do you use?

A: I have quite a few SX-70 cameras; some work better than others but I mostly tend to use my trusty old brown SX-70 Land Camera 2.

2) Why do you like instant photography?

A: It can be unpredictable and love it when you try to control or play with the outcome and end up with something unexpected and unique.

3) Q: What is your earliest memory of instant film?

No one in my family owned an instant camera so my earliest memory would be going to get my passport photos done when I was a child in an old-fashioned photo booth.

The good doctor.

• 
• 

Another topic we got requests for was when the mirror in the camera gets stuck up out of place or mid cycle for one reason or another. This can often be recognized by a black VF and a camera that won’t close all the way.

There’s actually a couple tricks to getting your mirror back in place. If your camera is empty and you have an empty pack, you can try to put that in the camera and fire it a few times, or put the pack in, pull it out, back in, out a couple of times letting it cycle each time you close the door. This may get the camera back into the proper rhythm of things so that when you put a full pack in, everything is where it should be for proper operation to take pictures.

More after the jump…

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Hello again from 8 Exposures! This week, we’re highlighting Maryland Event Planner and photo genius Jessica Hibbard Elenstar!

1) Q: What kind of Polaroid camera(s) do you use?

A: My collection is always expanding, but my favorites are SX-70s, Spectra ProCams, and Super Shooters. I always have at least two of each in case one breaks, and multiple cameras also come in handy for shooting different film types at the same time.

2) Q: Why do you like instant photography?

A: I’m drawn to the beauty of vintage cameras, the warmth of film, and the uniquely imperfect nature of each image. Even “bad” polaroids are good, and a nice reminder for a control freak like myself to be open to surprises.

3) Q: What is your earliest memory of instant film?

A: My grandmother’s Spectra camera. I still remember her opening the crinkly silver package of film. She insisted on taking a picture of the entire family at the dinner table when we were all together, so there are many vintage shots of me as a kid with food in my mouth.

(More after the jump!)

The good doctor.

• 
• 
• 

We put out the question to you all about what kinds of tips you all would like to hear. One topic we heard several times was about cleaning and maintenance of your folding SX-70 and SLR 680 cameras.

There are a few simple things you can do to help keep your cameras running well and looking good. Now not to sound like a broken record, but I again cannot stress keeping your rollers clean. You can refer back to our Door swapping post about how to get the door off your camera to make cleaning easier and safer. Then you can go back to our first video with Dave about cleaning rollers for how to do this.

After that you can keep the inside of your camera clean with a can of compressed air or an air blower some of you may have for keeping lenses clean which can help keep dust out of the film compartment of the camera (more after the jump!).

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Hello again, instanteers, and welcome back to 8 Exposures! This week, we spoke with Washington, DC-based Ben Shuster…

1) Q: What kind of Polaroid camera(s) do you use?

A: I have a couple SX-70s – the Original and the Sonar Onestep – and a Spectra for the current and past integral packs. For packfilm I go with either the Model 340 Land Camera or my Kiev 88 fitted with the Polaroid magazine. I also still have a fair amount of Type 80 series packfilm, and those go straight into my Holgaroid.

2) Q: Why do you like instant photography?

A: Like so many other people, I love its vintage coolness, nostalgia-soaked colors and analog unpredictability. It sets your shots apart from everything else out there. It can take a perfectly normal snapshot and make it perfectly unique. The variety of manipulation and lift techniques really make creative possibilities endless. AND! Name someone you know who doesn’t have a “make my photos look like instant film” app on their phone – you can’t do it. WE know what’s up. WE have the prints to prove it.

(More after the jump!)

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

We’re happy to bring you another entry in our popular instant film question-and-answer series 8 Exposures! This week, we proudly feature UK-based photographer and digital artist Jake Messenger…

1) Q: What kind of Polaroid camera(s) do you use?

A: Many! My favourites are my dad’s old original SX-70, and the SX-70 Sonar which belonged to his business partner. I also use a hefty 600SE; the quality you can get from it is fantastic, but it is a beast to lug about. My lighter pack-film option is a Land Automatic 250. I have a few other cameras knocking about – a Super Shooter, a 600 P, an SX-70 3000. On my shelf there are a couple of beauties for show: I love the 800 roll-film camera. Oh, and I have a pack-film back for my Holga!

2) Q: Why do you like instant photography?

A: I love the ‘thingness’ of instant: how you compose your picture, take it, and within a few minutes you have the physical object in your hand. While I love all kinds of image-making, the immediacy of instant is just magical. I love the fact that the film is its own darkroom, that once the image is there, that’s it – there are no processing decisions to be made.

(More after the jump!)

The good doctor.

• 
• 
• 
• 

Door Swapping: Or, How I learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Frankenroid…

Several of you have asked about swapping the doors on either your SX-70s or SLR 680s. Some of you either have rollers issues, or in response to the undeveloped patch, are looking to put the door of an older SX-70 onto the body of a 680 in order to help reduce the appearance of the ‘patch’ (SX-70s generally have tighter rollers).

In order to take the door off your camera, first you open your camera, then open the door itself and hold the camera in your right hand with the front facing your left. Make sure you don’t have a pack of film inside! With your left index finger, find the hinge of the door that is furthest from you and apply pressure on the hinge towards yourself. While doing this, pull that side of the door outward…

(More after the jump!)

• 
• 
• 
• 

The “Impossible Project NYC Space” : http://shop.the-impossible-project.com/stores/spaces/ny’s Advent Deals continues this week! Last chance to stock up on gift deals! Here are the details…

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Hello, Impossibles! We’re back with another warm and fuzzy entry in our 8 Exposures series. This week, we highlighted NY-based Graphic and Web Designer Dan Meade…

1) Q: What kind of Polaroid camera(s) do you use?

A: All of them! No, really…I have this thing where I have to try everything. I probably have at least one of every style and format of Polaroid camera, from Spectra and peel-apart cameras to 500 and even I-Zone!

I really enjoy my SLR cameras (several SX-70s and an SLR680) most, but I’ve also built a few home-made cameras including instant pinhole cameras and a custom rubber-coated “Holga-roid.” I also just got a Crown Graphic, which is just fascinating when used with instant film.

2) Q: Why do you like instant photography?

A: I was initially drawn to instant photography for the nostalgia.

However, I quickly became hooked on the “instant gratification” and the unpredictable nature of instant photos.

(More after the jump!)

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Hi again, 8 Exposures fanatics! We’re happy to bring you a special Sunday entry in our series. This episode, the star of 8 Exposures is Seattle-based designer, project manager and mom Brooke Castro…

1) Q: What kind of Polaroid camera(s) do you use?

A: I have 12 Polaroid cameras (there is no such thing as too many cameras, right?), but the ones I use most are my SLR 680 SE, SX-70, and a Polaroid ColorPack II.

2) Q: Why do you like instant photography?

A: I love that it has proved time and time again that the most beautiful or interesting photos aren’t always the ones you planned for or expected.

3) Q: What is your earliest memory of instant film?

A: When I was really young, my grandfather used to take family photos with a Polaroid camera. I can remember waiting, anxious for him to peel back the film and show my cousins and me the photo. (That Polaroid ColorPack II that I mentioned above? That was my grandpa’s camera.)

(More after the jump!)

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Hello, Impossibles! Welcome back to 8 Exposures. This week, we turned the spotlight on Long Beach, CA-based photographer Bradley Johnson:

1) Q: What kind of polaroid camera(s) do you use?

A: I use them all!…or at least, as many as I can get my hands on! Each camera has its own charm, but there are a few that I prefer more than others. I think that the SX-70 is the quintessential Polaroid camera. It does everything you would want a camera to do, and it uses instant film! My runner up would be the Propack. I know that many of my photographer friends will make fun of me for this, but it produces nice photos, and is relatively compact. I use the close-up, and portrait lens attachments (meant for the Polaroid 250, 360, 450 land cameras) to make it even more versatile. Also, it never has the jamming problem associated with Fuji pack film.

2) Q: Why do you like instant photography?

A: First and foremost is the instant feedback. However, with the advent of digital, that isn’t such a novelty anymore. I suppose the real reason I love instant film so much is the fact that each photo is an original work of art. There is no negative. The print you hold in your hand is one of a kind. There will never be another. Sure, you could scan and print a copy, but it will never be the same.

(More after the jump!)

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

The title of “Impossible King of Las Vegas” belongs to Nick Leonard. His shots of the strip are stunning and beautifully capture the city’s long history. As Nick has been compiling photos of hotels and motels all over the Southwest for some time now, we thought he’d make for a great Viewfinder feature:

“I live in Las Vegas, NV and I am 18 years old (19 in Jan.). I began taking photographs in 2006 with a little point & shoot and progressed to a Nikon D40 that my mom bought me for Christmas. Soon after acquiring the Nikon, I found myself shooting lots of concerts for a local rock magazine. In my downtime, I also explored around town and shot whatever caught my interest.

One day while browsing through Flickr, I ran across many Polaroid-related groups and discussions with people stressing over Polaroid closing their film division. It’s unfortunate that such negative news spiked my interest in instant photography! After acquiring my first Sun 600 (another x-mas gift), I was hooked. The Polaroid bug bit me hard and I have a crazy range of instant cameras varying from many integral film cameras to pack film cameras. Finding the Impossible Project on the web and the variety of film they offer truly fanned the flames, not only for me but also my beloved Polaroid cameras, and I really appreciate their loyalty in keeping instant film alive.

(More after the jump!)

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Hello friends, and welcome back to 8 Exposures! This week, we spoke with German photographic wizard Oliver Zelinski…

1) Q: What kind of polaroid camera(s) do you use?

A: There is a Barilla pinhole and some old plate cameras with Polaroid backs, a Macro 3, a couple of 636s, an EE100, an Image Spectra, two SX-70 Alpha, a 340, two EE44 and something in the cellar

2) Q: Why do you like instant photography?

A: Because of its own limitation and in connection the results + the smell on x-posed in polanoid.

3) Q: What is your earliest memory of instant film?

A: I remember my mum dissing grandpa’s Sun 660 and those unstable pictures with the boring frame.

4) Q: What’s your favorite Impossible Film type?

A: PX 100 FF and PX 680 beta.

5) Q: What are your favorite subjects to photograph?

A: Mr Giulio Stucchi but generally I am trying not to see the subjects as such but let them speak out. Then you can listen, looking at the picture…

(More after the jump!)

First released in 1978, the sleek and sexy Polaroid SX-70 Silver Sonar camera is now available in a very special kit in the Impossible US Online Shop.

The Silver Sonar SX-70 is the swaggering younger brother of the SX-70 Original. Silver has all the same features you loved about Original (SLR, glass lens, shiny chrome, manual focus), but comes with a glossy black coat and the option to shoot with sonar autofocus, which comes in handy when trying to photograph on the fly.

This unique kit contains a carefully refurbished SX-70 Silver Sonar camera, warranty, CD with original scanned SX-70 manuals, two packs of PX 70 Color Shade film and the amazing PX Shade to protect your images from light.

Round out your SX-70 family now with the SX-70 Sonar PX Shade Kit!

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Welcome back to 8 Exposures! This week, we spoke with the amazing Brad Elterman, who since the 1970s has been photographing celebrities and musicians such as Blondie, David Bowie, Michael Jackson and The Who!

1) Q: What kind of polaroid camera(s) do you use?

A: Polaroid One.

2) Q: Why do you like instant photography?

A: It’s so sexy.

3) Q: What is your earliest memory of instant film?

A: My mom was a painter and in the 70’s she went out and got an SX70. That was really something special. I still have it, somewhere.

4) Q: What’s your favorite impossible film type?

A: PX 680.

5) Q: What are your favorite subjects to photograph?

A: Modern Pop Culture

(More after the jump!)

The good doctor.

• 
• 
• 

This week, Impossible USA’s Camera Resource Manager Frank Love provides some tips on how best to care for your beloved Polaroid SX-70…

For anyone with a folding SX-70, you know how beautiful they are, but some of you may have also found that they are delicate instruments, and you may have one that doesn’t work so well or consistently, and maybe it’s just sitting around and hasn’t worked at all recently. There’s a chance that if this camera hasn’t received any trauma, it may simply need a little ‘Love’ to get it going again.

I first want to state that if you don’t feel comfortable doing anything here, don’t, but if you follow these simple instructions you should have a good shot at getting your camera working again…

(More after the jump!)

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Welcome back to Viewfinder, our newest feature highlighting interesting people and the Impossible projects they are working on. This week, we trained our lens on Nate Matos…

“I’m 24, living in (the dream of the 90s) Portland, Oregon. About a year ago I had decided I wanted to do a 365 project. It was something I had always been aware of but never found the gumption to do. I have a bad habit of starting projects and not completing them. I wasn’t sure how it would help me to complete it either if it was a series of snapshots I popped off with a digital camera either.

Lucky for me about 6 months prior to this I had made my first order from Impossible for a few packs of PX 70 First Flush and some PX 600 First Flush and instantly (pardon the pun) fell in love with the process. I was still very new to instant photography, other than the occasional photo with the family Polaroid, or the very few samples I still have from my iZone, which happened to be the first camera I ever purchased for myself. Since then however, I have amassed a small army of instant cameras. But I always seem to turn to the first SX-70 I purchased years ago.

So I saw starting a year long journey with Impossible film as a great commitment to both myself and the brand. I started out by planning very carefully things I could shoot in case I ran out of ideas.

(More after the jump!)

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Welcome back to 8 Exposures! This week, we talked with LA photographer/sweetheart Jessica Reinhardt…

1) Q: What kind of polaroid camera(s) do you use?

A: I consider myself extremely fortunate when it comes to my cameras. I have four Polaroid cameras that I use all the time…as well as an ever growing collection of wayward cameras rescued from various states of neglect. I have two Land Cameras…a 360 that belonged to my father. He won it as a college student—-a top of the line set with filters, self-timer, cable release, and portrait lens—-the works. When I was in college he had it reconditioned and gave it to me as a birthday gift. It was the camera that really solidified my love affair with Instant Film. My other Land Camera is a 320 I found languishing in the supply closet at work. It had not been touched pretty much since it was purchased. My boss was impressed with what the camera could do with a fresh battery and some film. My Polaroid cameras that I don’t leave home without are two original model SX-70s. My first SX-70 was a Swap Meet find, complete with a carrying case and manual.

(more after the jump!)

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Welcome to another exciting edition of 8 Exposures, our new interview series highlighting interesting people using Impossible film. This week we talked with UK-based photographic wizard Dan Ryan.

1) Q: What kind of polaroid camera(s) do you use?

A: I’ve got loads of Polaroids in various states of repair, but day-to-day I normally use a battered, brown SX-70 Alpha and a nice and shiny 180.

2) Q: Why do you like instant photography?

A: I don’t know…Why do you like breathing?

3) Q: What is your earliest memory of instant film?

A: I have a bit of a false memory of instant film which, as it turns out was taken on a Kodak. It was a family snap of a walk, with dad and a backpack. I rediscovered it a few years ago in an old album. My modern love affair with Polaroid came at a party about 6 or 7 years ago, when someone pulled out an old 330 or something – I was blown away with the simple beauty of it.

(More after the jump!…)

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Welcome to another episode of 8 Exposures, our new feature consisting of 8 photography and instant film-related questions, accompanied by 8 Impossible images from the featured artist. This week, we interviewed Chicago-based photographer, rabbit-lover and life-liver Azuree Wiitala

1) Q: What kind of Polaroid Cameras do you use?

A: My favorite Polaroid camera to use is the SLR 680. Sadly that camera died while my husband and I were visiting my family in Puerto Rico last year. Since then I’ve been shooting with three Sonar One Step SX-70 cameras. Yes, three. They each have different film in them although I have to admit that I can never remember which has what film, which turns out to be a fun surprise, for the most part.

2) Q: Why do you like instant photography?

A: I am drawn to instant photography because it is…instant. I do not prefer to shoot digitally and find that I drag my feet to develop 35mm (which I also love to shoot) so instant film just makes sense to me. I also love the perfect imperfections that come along with shooting instant film.

(More after the jump!)

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Welcome to a new feature on the Impossible Blog: 8 Exposures. We’ll be asking artists and photographers 8 questions revolving around photography, especially instant photography. Also included will be 8 Impossible images submitted by the featured artist.

Our inaugural edition of 8 Exposures focuses on Charlie Wagers, an Ohio-based graphic designer, art director and illustrator, and a founding member of Three Bears Design.

1) Q: What kind of Polaroid camera(s) do you use?

A: I have a vintage folding SX-70 that I prefer to use, in addition to a bunch of old thrifted 600 cameras. I like the SX-70 because I can use 600 films in it, with a filter. And it folds up nicely, which makes it easy to carry around with me.

2) Q: Why do you like instant photography?

A: I always prefer analogue photography to digital. I most commonly photograph with 120 films in my Holga, so using instant cameras is a treat to see the photos within minutes. I especially appreciate the colors and new effects that come with using Impossible’s film types.

(More after the jump!)

The Impossible Workshop series is delighted to present the first of our SX-70 camera and film workshops on Sunday, October 30th from 10 AM to 1 PM. The iconic SX-70 camera has now become a rare vintage classic and is still arguably Polaroid’s sharpest and most innovative camera.

This fully interactive workshop will include use of a folding SX-70 (although we encourage you to bring your own), one pack of Impossible PX 70 film and a PX Shade. We will explore the features of the SX-70, and there will be a focus on shooting techniques and achieving the best results from the new Impossible films. We’ll cover topics ranging from shielding techniques to temperature control to identifying and managing each film type’s unique characteristics.

You will have the opportunity to shoot in and around our NYC space, located on the cusp of Soho, Little Italy and Chinatown, and then display and discuss your images before learning about image preservation techniques.

The workshop is priced at $50 and all students will also receive 10% off anything in the store on the day of the event! Hurry to book as limited places are available. To register for this workshop, please call us toll-free at 888-250-6020, 11am-7pm EST or email nycspace@theimpossibleproject.com.

Hello, friends! In our tests, we’ve found that the newest batch of our PX 70 Color Shade film is even faster than its predecessor. You can use it in your SX-70 camera with the exposure wheel dialed all the way to darken, but you may also need to use an ND Filter and play with the exposure controls, depending on the light in which you’re shooting.

The increased light sensitivity of New PX 70 means that you can use it in your 600 camera with little or no adjustment to the exposure dial. This is exciting because it means that this vibrant new material can be used by everyone.

New PX 70 is a shining example of the progress our factory team in Holland is making, and it is a promising sign for the future of Impossible.

To purchase the new PX 70 Color Shade film, CLICK HERE

• 
• 

Just arrived in our New York store – a special edition batch of 10 beautiful “Impossible Rainbow” prints available for sale! A treat for any Polaroid devotee, these exclusive prints fit perfectly in a 50cm x 70cm frame and are for sale for just $75. The prints were specially made for the Impossible Project by the talented Mark Griffiths, an artist and lifelong Polaroid enthusiast.

This exclusive deal is available at our NYC Space. Stop by or call our New York Space (212.219.3254) to grab one before they are gone.

Mark will be giving away one of these prints to a lucky winner. Visit his blog to enter the giveaway. Mark will randomly chose a winner from the comments on the site. Enter before June 24th for a chance to win one of these lovely prints!

More of Mark’s art is available for sale on his etsy store.

We are pleased to announce the arrival of a brand new edition of fullgive bags in the NYC Project Space. Specially designed for the Impossible Project by Fullgive, these bags fit an Sx 70 and a few packs of Impossible film. The bags come in mahogany and tan, and are made from 100% reclaimed leather. They retail for $150. Stop by or call the NYC space to grab one and show off your love for instant film with style!

Our fleet of lovely vintage Sx-70’s were featured in this week’s New York Magazine’s gift guide. They recommend the cameras as a great gift for the special gentleman or lady in your life, and we couldn’t agree more! Show your honey your love for them and vintage photography with this classic camera. Stop by the store to pick one up, and ensure that this valentine’s day is one to remember, instantly.

Doctor Jon here with a very special installment of Impossible Solutions. Here Jon shows us how to refurbish the leather skin of an Sx 70, making it look new for the next generation of Sx 70 photographers.

Our new PX70 PUSH! film needs a LOT of light to soak in all those wonderful colors you want to capture. Recently, the Impossible team has been testing PUSH! with flash bars and the colors are looking brilliant.

More after the jump…

This short video gives you a list of common problems to look out for when buying a vintage SX 70 online or at a flea market. Frank explains how to visually check to make sure the camera is in working order; he lists the most frequent problems and what to ask the seller to ensure you are buying a quality camera.